


Ground Rules

by DevinCx, piratenami



Series: Knights of the Old Republic: Outcasts [4]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Knights of the Old Republic
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Non-Explicit Sex, Original Character-centric, Space Opera
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-20
Packaged: 2019-05-18 00:34:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14842203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DevinCx/pseuds/DevinCx, https://archiveofourown.org/users/piratenami/pseuds/piratenami
Summary: Changing relationships among the crew of the Wanderer lead to conflicts, confusion, and misunderstandings.





	Ground Rules

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place immediately after Book 2 of this series, and contains spoilers for all previous stories.

Liana woke early, as she usually did. She liked to busy herself with routine in the first part of the day. Tidying, small repairs, checking over her ship, all the tiny daily things that needed to be done to maintain her home.

Especially these days, when it was likely the only time of peace and quiet she might have.

She lay in bed awake, pensive. She noted that, while Meena still slept quietly in the extra bunk, Kara's bed was undisturbed for yet another night.

She sighed to herself. She loved Renn and Kara both dearly, but they had been starting to wear on the nerves of both their shipmates and their temporary guests ever since they returned to the Wanderer from their two-week sojourn on Dewn.

It was just the newness of their physical relationship. Liana understood that. New-mated pairs needed constant reassurance of each other. They needed time to explore and learn, to reinforce and strengthen their ties.

Unfortunately, this made them absolutely insufferable to everyone around them, especially on a ship this small. It seemed like Kara and Renn were always sitting close together somewhere, kissing or speaking quietly, as if the rest of the galaxy didn't exist.

Most irritating, however, was how they acted like guilty children if anyone walked in on them. She would be okay with the kissing and snuggling if they didn't jump apart like they were trying to hide something whenever they were caught at it. She didn't think they needed to make "no mating in public areas" an official rule – the cargo bay incident notwithstanding – but perhaps she should make that clear, just in case.

Still, Liana couldn't begrudge them finding joy in each other, no matter how frustrated she was with them at the moment. Not after all they had been through, both individually and together. She expected they would settle back down into comfortable routine after a few weeks, when they had it out of their systems.

She knew how they were feeling; she had felt the same when she and her husband had first found each other. Her daughter had been the product of such a time, in fact.

She suddenly felt uneasy about where that thought led. She assumed Ori would have educated her son on the proper precautions, but she worried about Kara. Perhaps she should ask Renn's mother to talk to the girl about it. As awkward as that prospect would be, an experienced human woman would be far better equipped for that discussion than Liana herself.

She sighed again. It seemed she was becoming matriarch of her own little clan, despite herself.

Liana dragged herself out of bed finally, and headed to get her morning cup of caf. She found Aeron sitting alone at the table in the main hold. His greeting sounded distracted and distant.

She wasn't sure what to make of that. He was the most difficult for her to read of her small crew. They did not talk much, just the two of them. But she put his presence here together with the fact that Kara had never come to her own bed last night, and thought she understood most of the situation, at least.

"I'm sorry you've been so... displaced," Liana said delicately, as she joined him at the table with her mug. "I will discuss it with them." Actually, she thought the four of them needed to lay down some ground rules together, but she didn't want to force Aeron to be a part of that discussion if it would make him more uncomfortable.

Aeron sighed. "All my years of study, all my hours of meditation and time at the Temple... none of it prepared me for this aspect of life. I am completely out of my depth here...." He crossed his arms on the table and pillowed his head on them. "Why did no one ever tell me that socks on access plates meant 'Do Not Enter'?"

"Oh my," Liana said in dismay. "Did you walk in on them?"

"I did," he said with a sigh. "I don't know what's worse: that I walked in on them, or that they didn't seem to notice...."

Liana couldn't help herself. She chuckled. Aeron lifted his head to look at her darkly. "I'm sorry," she said. "They should settle down after a few weeks."

"Weeks?" Aeron groaned and put his head back down.

Liana patted his arm fondly. "Don't worry, I have an idea." She rose and went in search of Renn's mother.

***

Renn woke with Kara slumbering beside him in his bunk. Well, sprawled half on top of him, really, with her head against his shoulder. The bunk was small for both of them, but he thought he could get used to the pleasant warmth of her body pressed close to his. He reached for his datapad with one hand, moving slowly so he wouldn't wake her.

He was in the middle of reading his messages, like he did every morning, when he felt Kara stir. He glanced away from the datapad and found her glaring up at him.

"What?" he asked, taken aback by her expression.

"Seriously, Renn?"

"You were asleep. I didn't want to wake you up."

"Well, I'm awake now," she said, shifting position beneath the blankets. He was suddenly and intensely aware of every place his skin was in contact with hers. Including her hands. Especially her hands. His breath caught in his throat.

"Do I have your attention, spacer boy?" she asked sweetly.

Renn dropped his datapad off the side of the bunk, and made it very clear that she did.

***

Meena stopped short in the doorway to the ship's main hold, seeing Aeron sitting at the table by himself. She retreated back to the dormitory before he could see her.

She knew she was being stupid about this. She was just too embarrassed by how she'd acted toward him.

It was... not entirely his fault that he'd misunderstood. His reaction to her had only been natural. She liked to hug and touch people, and they sometimes took it for romantic interest even when it wasn't. She hadn't meant to make it seem like she was interested. Especially when she'd been dressed in a skimpy swimsuit at the time. She knew it wasn't her fault, but it also wasn't his.

Aeron was always so courteous toward her. That was part of why she felt so bad. She felt terrible about how she'd been avoiding being alone with him, but it would be easier for both of them that way. At least, that's what she'd convinced herself of.

Meena sighed and looked over to the stack of boxes sitting beside the bunk she was using. There was surprisingly little left of her two-plus years living alone on Novus Station. An entire life, whittled down to just a few containers.

When they'd brought her back to the station, she'd originally intended to pick things up where she'd left off. But, as it turned out, she didn't have anything left to go back to. Her job was gone, and so was Esmi, the fellow dancer she'd been dating. Meena had been dumped rather spectacularly, on top of everything else. Which had been deserved, considering she'd just up and left without a word to anyone there.

So she'd asked the Wanderer to wait for her, packed up what things she wanted to keep, canceled the lease on her apartment, and didn't look back.

She sat down on the bunk and tucked her legs up under her, thinking. She was planning to go home with Ori to Nal Yeshu and visit her own mother. See if she could salvage something, maybe start her life over again.

But there was part of her that didn't want to.

Secretly, deep inside, Meena had to admit that she was tired of being the obedient good girl. It hadn't worked so far, and had only led to her getting passed over for lead in the dance troupe, or stuck in the back row. Twi'lek dancers had a reputation, and few were willing to take a chance on her.

But... she'd been able to help Rennie and their friends. She'd been a vital part of their plan. By doing something she wasn't supposed to do.

She kind of wanted to stay here with them and have another adventure, to do something else different and exciting. But she didn't really have any skills to bring to a crew like this. She was just a dancer.

She'd had a taste of something else, though, and suddenly Meena didn't want to go back to the mundane. She wanted more.

***

Liana found Ori in the cargo hold, sitting on a crate, disassembling and cleaning the weapons she'd brought with her. "Good morning," she said from from the doorway.

Renn's mother looked up and nodded in greeting. "Morning," she replied.

"Do you have a moment?"

"Sure," Ori said. "Pull up a crate."

Liana bared her teeth in a smile and settled on the crate opposite her. She hesitated, uncertain how to best broach this topic.

"The children are quite smitten with one another," she said finally.

Ori snorted. "You mean they're acting like horny teenagers? Yeah, I'd noticed," she said dryly.

"Yes," Liana sighed, "they are. And speaking of that... I think they are both too inexperienced, and very young. They might need some guidance that I am not sure I can provide, with regard to certain... potential outcomes."

"Hmm, maybe." Ori looked thoughtful.

Liana continued. "I was also thinking, perhaps they need space for a little while."

"You want me to take 'em? I could invite them to visit when we get back to Nal Yeshu."

Liana tilted her head. "That might be an option, if you're sure you don't mind."

"Nah." Ori smirked. "It'd be nice to have him around for a little longer. Plus I got a room full of Tae's old junk I need him to clean up anyway. I'll put him to work."

Liana's laugh came out strangely to her own ears. She thought of what she had told Kara, when the young woman confessed that she was having trouble being happy for Renn having his family back. Liana had to admit that she felt similarly conflicted now. Why should Ori get to have her child back, when she never could? Why should they have each other, when she would never again have her husband and daughter?

Liana stifled the undeserved, unworthy thoughts, but judging from Ori's expression, something of them must have shown on her face. "I think maybe they are not the only ones who need a little time to themselves," Liana said finally.

"I get it," Ori said. Her voice was more subdued than Liana had ever heard it in her short acquaintance with Renn's mother.

Liana bowed her head, ashamed of herself. "I'm sorry," she said.

"You don't owe me an apology." Ori leaned across to put a hand on Liana's shoulder. "I understand."

Liana looked up at her again, and nodded. Of course, she _would_ understand. Ori's son might be alive, but until a few weeks ago, she hadn't known that. That past pain, the anguish of losing her child... that experience would not disappear or be forgotten just because Renn was suddenly still alive.

Liana reached up and put her hand over Ori's. "Thank you."

Ori smiled, a genuine smile, not one of those wry smirks that Renn had clearly inherited from her. "Don't mention it." She withdrew her hand, and went back to reassembling her pistol. "Think they've managed to get out of bed yet?" she asked.

Liana was grateful for the shift in tone. "I doubt it. It's not the middle of the afternoon," she grumbled.

Ori just laughed. "I guess I'll catch 'em at dinner then," she said.

***

Renn and Kara just kept finding excuses to linger in bed all morning, enjoying each other's company. At least until Aeron asked over the intercom if he could _please_ get something from his bunk. That had made them both feel guilty enough to get up and get dressed, yielding the dormitory to him.

After getting something to eat, Renn sat sideways on the acceleration couch in the main, an old habit of his. Kara surprised him by settling in front of him and leaning back against his chest, so he could wrap his arms around her. She fit there perfectly, warm and comfortable against him. He really _was_ getting used to this.

"Can I tell you something?" he asked suddenly.

"After everything we've done the past few weeks, you have to ask?" She laughed. 

"I'm serious, Kara."

"Of course," she said, her tone turning sincere, "you know you can tell me anything."

He tightened his embrace. Something had been weighing on him ever since they escaped the Tower. He'd been able to put it out of his mind for a little while during their shore leave, but he'd debated telling her about it since they'd gotten back to the ship. He had promised to be honest with her from here on out, after all.

"I... had a moment I'm not very proud of, in the Vault," Renn confessed quietly, close to her ear. "I thought, maybe I should leave the backdoor open, and just change the access sequence. Use it myself. Destroy the Exchange that way. Take their money, and their power. I could buy Liana a new ship, find you some paradise planet somewhere where you could always see the sky...." He trailed off.

"Why didn't you?" she asked. There was no judgment in her voice, only curiosity.

That was the big question, wasn't it? He struggled to find the right words for a long moment. "I realized I could never forgive myself if I went down that road again," he said. "Every sacrifice that all of you had made for me, to try and get me out of that mess... none of it would have meant anything."

Renn leaned his head on hers. "I don't want to be that man anymore. He would break your heart, like my father did to my mother. Would break her heart again, too."

"But you didn't," Kara said, snuggling back against him. "It was a moment of temptation, no more."

"I've made a lot of mistakes. I'm probably going to make a lot more."

"You're only human," she said dryly. "Deal with it."

"But I worry, Kara. What if... what if I'm not strong enough next time?"

"Then you will still be human. Do you know what that temptation means for me?"

"No, what?"

Kara sighed. "It means never having to take on a job from people we don't trust, just to keep the ship fueled. It means never having to worry about this engine part or that sensor breaking, or never having to make two weeks worth of food last two months. So yeah, I understand why you would be tempted. And I understand what walking away from it meant."

Renn thought again about his pathetically empty bank account and winced. That was going to take him quite a while to rebuild, even if he kept doing occasional side jobs on his own. "Well," he said, somewhat off-handedly, "that stuff's easy. I've dealt with all of that before, I can deal with it again." He nuzzled her ear. "Especially now that I've got you."

"Damn right, spacer boy," she said around a satisfied smirk.

He laughed and kissed lightly down the side of her neck. She tilted her head back with a small sound of contentment. He took that as encouragement and kept kissing.

The door opened, and the two of them jumped apart on pure reflex.

Liana shook her head at them as she came in.

Kara was now sitting two feet from Renn with her hands folded primly in her lap and her eyes fixed firmly on her knees. She looked for all the world like a kid who'd been caught with her hand just dipping into the cookie jar.

Renn looked down at his own hands, almost more embarrassed by that instinctual reaction to being caught than anything else. Kara looked so guilty to be found in his arms. Were they sparking off each other again?

"Children," Liana said with a sigh, bringing Renn back out of his own thoughts. "We need to talk about public ship spaces."

Kara blushed so hard that Renn didn't think there was blood left in her toes.

Liana sat down on the bench nearby and put a hand on Kara's knee. "Listen to me," she said, her voice firm. "I am very happy that you have each other. But as your Captain... we are all sharing this space together. We need to have certain ground rules in place."

"Liana-"

She silenced Renn's objection with a sharp look.

"No one minds you sitting together, or hugging and kissing. You don't have to act like you've been caught at something every time," she said gently. "This is your home, too, and I _do_ want you to be comfortable in it." She paused, and then added, "Although I would ask that you keep mating to the dormitories, and please lock the door before you do so."

Renn felt his own cheeks flush. "Captain," he groaned. As expected, she was way too blunt.

Kara didn't answer. If anything, her cheeks turned a brighter red.

"You need to respect Aeron's space, too," Liana continued, as if she hadn't noticed. "He has been more than accommodating about being kept from his own bed, but it isn't fair to continue this way. Especially while we still have Ori and Meena with us. After we drop them off, the four of us need to discuss other sleeping arrangements. What we have now is clearly not going to work."

Renn nodded, his cheeks on fire now almost as badly as Kara's were. He knew Liana was right. Especially considering what else was happening with them and Aeron and their bond. Renn was thoroughly mortified every time he was reminded about that. "Sorry," he murmured, staring down at his hands again.

"Don't be sorry," Liana said. "Be more thoughtful." She smiled fondly at them both. "I know it feels like you two are in your own little world sometimes, but the rest of us are still here."

Kara tried to talk, but only succeeded in squeaking something.

Liana blinked. "Kara, are you all right?"

"I think you broke her," Renn said with a snort. He held a hand out to Kara.  She took it tentatively, and he laced his fingers with hers. "Liana's always that blunt about this kind of stuff," he said, squeezing Kara's hand. "You kinda get used to it."

Liana rolled her eyes at him and stood. "I think I've embarrassed you both enough for now. It's almost time to have dinner."

"Really?" he asked. "I didn't realize it was so late already."

"That's what happens when you stay in bed until mid-afternoon," Liana replied, amused.

Renn looked sheepish. "Right. Sorry."

***

Dinner was one of the few times that everyone on the ship spent together, all in one place.

It wasn't even something Liana insisted on at first; it had just happened to work out that way, that everyone's schedules brought them to share a meal at the same time, once her little crew had settled in and gotten used to each other. And she did rather enjoy having them all together for a time. Other meals during the day were sometimes a case of 'grab something when you can' between other tasks, but dinners had become a bonding ritual for her crew – and now their temporary guests, as well.

She did notice that Meena still seemed to be avoiding Aeron. Neither she nor Ori had been able to figure that one out completely, and the girl refused to say what was bothering her.

Liana had her suspicions, though. Ever since the incident on the beach, when Meena had fled back to her hotel room after going swimming with Aeron, the Twi'lek had been unusually subdued whenever he was around. Tonight, Meena had seated herself between the two older women at the table, and was steadfastly staring down at her food and not looking at the Jedi sitting on the other side of the table.

As they were finishing up their meal, Ori brought up the idea that Liana had discussed with her earlier. "You two wanna come visit for a little while, when we get home?" she asked, addressing Renn and Kara. "Spend a little more time catching up?"

Renn was quiet for a moment, looking at his mother. "I- I think I would," he said finally, his voice strangely hesitant. He looked at Kara, sitting beside him, who nodded her encouragement. "I mean, if it's okay with Liana."

"Of course," Liana answered. "I managed by myself for five years before I found you. I'm sure Aeron and I can manage for a few weeks on our own."

Renn snorted. "Yeah, I'll find you a simple job while we're gone. Something not even Aeron can screw up."

"Excuse me," the Jedi objected. Renn smirked over at him and raised his cup in a sarcastic salute, then took a sip.

"Root vegetables, perhaps?" Kara asked archly, perfectly timed to make Renn choke on his drink. Meena burst out in giggles.

Well, that was a little more like normal. It was nice to have her family all together. Liana chuckled and rose from her seat, which seemed to be the signal for everyone else to start cleaning up after the meal.

***

When Liana returned from checking their status in the cockpit after dinner, she found Aeron alone again at the table. He had apparently started playing with the Empire game in the computer system. It was an A.I. program for her favorite strategy game, which Renn had created in order to get out of being roped into having to play with her himself. He'd gotten rather bored with the game itself after a while, but he'd found coding the computer opponent to be a fascinating exercise. She'd had to do a lot of testing for him.

Liana leaned over Aeron's shoulder, watching him play for a moment. "That was a terrible move," she said, amused, as he appeared to very deliberately put one of the most powerful pieces remaining to him in jeopardy.

Aeron's gaze was locked on the game, eyes darting to each and every piece and their arrangement. He didn't even glance at her. "I'm trying to figure out the A.I. priorities," he said, then he turned sharply to face her, eyes full of eager hope. "Do you play?"

"Yes." Liana smiled and nodded, sitting down next to him. "My mother taught me, when I was very young," she said.

"In that case, when we arrive at Nal Yeshu, shall I take the time to track down an actual game set, that we may play it together? A virtual game only does so much, after all." It was the most engaged Liana had seen the Jedi since he'd come back aboard after Derra IV.

"Actually," she said with a toothy grin, "I do still have my old set in my room, if you'd like."

"Oh, that would be splendid!" he exclaimed. "By the way, thank you for asking Renn and Kara if they'd like to visit Ori."

"It was mostly Ori's idea, although, yes, I did suggest it to her. I thought we could all use some space, at least for a little while."

"Indeed," he sighed. Aeron shut down the game and brought up a media news feed from the holonet instead. It was currently playing a story on a sudden upsurge of law enforcement agencies shutting down various illegal enterprises of the Exchange.

"You know," the Jedi actually laughed, "if my Master knew I'd broken into a galactic bank, he'd be appalled. However, I think we did some good, didn't we?"

"I think we did," she agreed, watching the news feed a moment herself. "It seems our actions had quite an interesting side benefit."

"I rather enjoy shining the light of justice into the dark shadowy corners of the galaxy.... Oh, didn't that sound like something out of bad literature?"

Liana snorted and rose. "I'll be right back with the game board."

She returned a few minutes later with the very well-loved Empire game that her mother had given her when she was still a teenager herself. The pieces stored inside the board for travel, in clever compartments built into the base, which she showed Aeron how to open.

"Oh my," he said, setting up the board with reverence. "This has seen much loving use, hasn't it?"

"It has," she said, smiling as she sat across from him. "It was my grandmother's once. She discovered the game while visiting the Republic, and this was a parting gift from one of the traders she had met there. She taught the game to my mother, who taught it to me in turn."

Aeron finished with the board, the light side facing himself, but then, he gently rotated the board around, giving himself the dark. "Would you like the first move, milady?"

"Are you sure you wish to give me that advantage?" she asked, but she had already lifted and moved her first piece. Aeron was about to make his first move when T5 barged in, angrily blaring that they were about to revert to normal space.

"Oh, I hadn't realized the time. We will be arriving shortly. I apologize, we will have to continue this later." Liana rose from the table, only for Aeron to follow suit.

"Actually," he said. "I'll accompany you to the cockpit, if you don't mind. I could use some advice, I'm afraid."

Liana nodded and led him to the door.  Once they arrived in the cockpit, she swiftly settled into the pilot's chair. "Something is bothering you?" she asked. "Other than Renn and Kara kicking you out of your own room all the time?"

He chuckled ruefully. "Believe it or not, yes. Meena seems to have misunderstood something I said as an attempt to establish an intimate relationship with her. Such was not my intent, and I have tried to rectify the situation. But she won't even look at me."

"Ah," Liana said. "That explains much." She considered. "I could try to speak to her, although you might have more luck asking Ori or Renn. They know her better than I do."

"Ori, perhaps, but..." Aeron gave her a look that spoke volumes.

She chuckled. "I suppose he _would_ tease you before he'd help you, wouldn't he?" Liana tilted her head, her ears twitching. "What exactly did you say to Meena that made her so upset?"

"She misunderstood my reaction to Kara and Renn...." He blushed and turned away, clearing his throat meaningfully. "Well, anyway, I fear I have hurt her feelings tremendously, but she won't speak to me and so I cannot set things right. If you would, please?"

"I see. I can't make any promises, but I'll try to talk to her before she disembarks in the morning," Liana agreed.

"Thank you, Liana." Aeron then let out a huge, quavering yawn. "Oh, excuse me.... That was rather quite rude, wasn't it?"

"Go get some sleep...." Liana trailed off as she realized Renn and Kara were most likely together in one dormitory, and Meena in the other. "Wherever you can?" she finished apologetically.

"Right.... Good night, Captain."

***

Liana found Meena still awake when she retired for the evening, after having put the ship into a stable orbit over Nal Yeshu so they could dock in the morning. The girl was already dressed for sleep. She wore a robe and sat up on her temporary bunk, watching a holodrama on a little datapad. Liana was not surprised to see Kara's bed still untouched, and stifled a sigh. Poor Aeron.

"Hi," Meena greeted her, a little shyly. "If you're going to bed, Captain, I can shut this down."

"I actually wanted to talk to you, if you have a moment."

"Oh, sure. Sorry." She paused her holodrama and turned the datapad off. "Is everything okay?"

"I wanted to ask you the same thing."

"Huh?"

Liana sat on her own bunk, and looked over at the Twi'lek girl. "I noticed that you've been avoiding Aeron."

"Oh." Meena's voice was small and quiet.

"I wondered if perhaps there's been trouble between you two."

She shook her head, but looked down, as if she didn't want to meet Liana's gaze.

"Are you certain?"

"I'm just... I think I really hurt his feelings, and I feel terrible about it."

Liana blinked. That was... not what she was expecting to hear. "How so?"

"I... kept accidentally flirting with him, and I think I gave him the wrong idea, even though I didn't mean to. I don't know, it just kind of happened."

"I see," Liana said slowly. This wasn't just a misunderstanding, she thought. This was a miscommunication that approached the ridiculous.

"Twi'lek women have a reputation," Meena continued after a moment's hesitation. "I'm sure you know about it. I'm used to men leering at me, or treating me like a... a pretty thing to look at, and not much else."

She kept talking in a rush, as if she were relieved to finally be getting this off her chest. "But Aeron never did that to me. He was always so nice, and he talked to me like I actually have a brain, and he saved me during the fight in the warehouse. And then I guess he thought I liked him that way, because... I was being oblivious and flirting by accident. Rennie says I do that sometimes. And I feel really bad because I don't... I'm not interested, but I still _like_ him. I just can't be what he wants me to be...." She finished speaking and trailed off, looking down awkwardly.

Liana rubbed her temples. Idiot children, all of them. "Have you considered that maybe he just wants to be your friend as well?"

Meena's purple cheeks tinged pink in what passed for a blush with her. "No, I'm pretty sure he was... interested."

"Why don't you talk to him in the morning, and let him have a chance to speak for himself?" Liana suggested. "I think it would be a shame if you left things between you in a bad place when you departed, and it's only fair to give him a chance to explain himself."

"Maybe you're right." The Twi'lek bit her lip. "I mean, if I stay on Nal Yeshu, or go somewhere else... I might never see him again, huh?"

"Right," Liana agreed.

"Okay," Meena said quietly, hugging her knees. "I'll talk to him in the morning."

"Good idea," Liana said, smiling. "In the meantime, why don't we get some sleep? We'll have an early morning tomorrow, getting all of you packed up."

Meena nodded. "Thanks, Captain," she said. Liana nodded back and started getting ready for sleep herself.

Hopefully this would be the last silly problem among her little family that she would have to sort out for a while.

***

They docked on Nal Yeshu the next morning, local time. Ori went out to find a speeder for all of them and their baggage, while Renn, Kara, and Meena finished packing up. Meena had enlisted Aeron to help her carry her things. Good, perhaps they had worked out their misunderstanding this morning after all.

The sound of an engine came from the bottom of the ramp outside. Liana went down to find Ori climbing out of the driver's seat of a beat-up rental speeder. "All set?" she called over.

"They're getting their things now," Liana replied. Renn came down the ramp and approached her, a bag slung over his shoulder and his datapad in his hands.

"Here," he said, showing her the screen. "I set up a nice, simple shipment from here to Castell. If Aeron finds a way to screw this up, I will be seriously impressed. No contraband, just food and medicine, mostly, and some other supplies." He suddenly looked over at Kara, who just giggled at him as she carried a couple of bags past where he and Liana were talking. He rolled his eyes at her.

"Anyway, I already arranged a shipment back out of Castell for you in a couple of weeks or so," he continued, pulling the datapad back. "They're flexible about when you pick it up, so there's no rush. Should be nice and easy." He tapped a few times on the screen, then put the datapad back in its pouch on his belt. "I sent you all the information. You should have everything you need."

Liana smiled at him. "Stop worrying."

"I'm not."

"Renn, you just arranged everything remotely for two simple jobs that I could do in my sleep."

"Okay, yeah. I just... I don't want anyone taking advantage of you while I'm not around, Captain."

Liana laughed and pulled him into an embrace. "I will miss you, child."

"Me, too," Renn said quietly, hugging her back.

The Trianii reached out an arm and snagged Kara on her way back from dropping off her bags, pulling her into their hug as well. "Behave, both of you. Be safe and take care of each other."

"Right, Boss," Kara said, leaning into both her and Renn.

Liana nuzzled Kara's hair affectionately, then released them. They walked over toward the speeder, hand in hand.

Aeron carried the last of Meena's things down the ramp, helping her stow her bags and boxes in the cargo compartment at the rear of the speeder. Meena was laughing at something he said. That was a good sign.

They walked back toward the Wanderer together a little way, still talking. To Liana's surprise, Meena raised up on her toes and kissed the Jedi on the cheek, looking flustered, before she fled back to the speeder. Aeron stood still, clearly stunned, his hand to his cheek.

"Girl's a little heart-breaker, isn't she?" Ori remarked, coming up beside Liana.

Liana rolled her eyes. "I think I understand the source of their miscommunication," she sighed. She turned and held out her hand to Ori, who clasped it firmly, forearm to forearm. "If all goes well, we will see you again in a few weeks."

"Take care," Ori replied. "Stay safe."

Liana nodded. "You, too, my friend. Keep them out of trouble."

"I'll try," Ori said dryly. Renn's mother let go of Liana's arm, waved a farewell to Aeron, and then headed back toward the speeder.

"Okay, kids!" Ori raised her voice as she got close to the vehicle. "We're gonna need to set down some ground rules about what goes on in my apartment. Get in, we'll talk on the way." Meena giggled from the front passenger's seat, and both Renn and Kara were visibly blushing as they climbed into the rear seats of the vehicle.

Liana chuckled and joined Aeron by the ramp again. "Let's go get our cargo and get our next stop programmed into the navicomputer," she said, smiling at him, "and then maybe we can return to our interrupted game."


End file.
